Recent Stories by Hugh Carey

March 15, 2018 — The top of Peak 9 was only 200 yards away. Once there, our ski mountaineering Five Peaks race descent to the next of Breckenridge's peaks — and to the beneath-treeline warmth — would come soon enough. But in this moment of ascent against the frigid

March 10, 2018 — The Ice Castles in Dillon closed for the season yesterday with the Insphyre Performance’s fire performers sending it off with flames. Tens of thousands of visitors have toured the castles in Dillon over the last nine weeks since it opened in December.

March 3, 2018 — On Saturday, the 70th annual skijoring competition attracted hundreds of onlookers to Main Street Leadville as competitors raced for cash prizes. In skijoring, skiers are pulled by horses, in this case, ridden down Main Street. Skiers fly in the air via jumps and attempt to

February 24, 2018 — On Friday morning, teams of five firefighters raced down the mountain holding onto a 50-foot fire hose while zipping around the slalom gates on High Noon run at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. Exchanging heat-resistant fire boots for ski and snowboard boots, the firefighters from Colorado

February 17, 2018 — Far from the hot and humid streets of the French Quarter, Mardi Gras was celebrated at 9,600 feet in Breckenridge as people flocked to Main Street in boas and beads on Tuesday. Started by a group of Louisiana revelers nearly 20 years ago, the annual

February 10, 2018 — Dozens of four-legged costumed paradegoers walked along Frisco's Main Street with their owners on Saturday. Despite the single-digit wind chill with snow falling sideways, the spirit of the Mardi Gras celebration remained strong. Hosted by the League for Animals and People of the Summit, the

February 3, 2018 — Two backpacks were buried in the snow in two different spots above 11,000 feet for the 16th annual Beacon Bowl event at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area on Saturday. The final competitors swiftly searched for them while carrying enough gear to ski, stay warm above 10,000

January 27, 2018 — With only hand-tools, 16 teams from 11 countries carved pieces of art out of 25-ton, 12-foot-tall snow blocks over the course of five days in Breckenridge for the International Snow Sculpture Championships. The winners were announced Friday (see page 3) and will remain available for

January 20, 2018 — On Saturday evening near the Frisco Bay Marina, the town of Frisco held its annual Spontaneous Combustion bonfire in front of hundreds of locals and visitors alike. The fire, which lasted two hours with flames standing as high as 20 feet, was fueled by donated

January 13, 2018 — At Maggie's Pond in Breckenridge on Friday afternoon, several dozen brave souls, some in speedos, jumped into the frozen water for the sake of Ullr. The Ullr Fest concluded with a foot of fresh snow and a broken world record for longest ski shot.

January 6, 2018 — Construction is complete at the Dillon Ice Castles, which opened last week on Thursday, Dec. 28, after being postponed due to unseasonably warm temperatures. The Utah-based company's team spent a combined 4,000 hours dripping, shaping and hand-placing icicles, while embedding them with color-changing LED lights.

December 2, 2017 — On Breckenridge's Main Street, hundreds of holiday enthusiasts of all ages, some with four legs, dressed as Santa Clauses to participate in the Race of the Santas Saturday evening. It was all in the name of fun and fundraising for the Breckenridge Boy Scout Troop

November 25, 2017 — In spirit of Thanksgiving week, Santa arrived early via the Pisten Bully Snowcat machine at the base of Copper Mountain as families cheered in excitement and smartphones flashed off at a paparazzi rate. The resort's annual tree lighting ceremony kicked off the holiday season with

November 17, 2017 — Just before dawn on Tuesday, more than 90 people took off uphill on their skis from the base of the High Noon run at Arapahoe Basin Ski Area. As part of the resort's Rise and Shine Rando Race Series, the competitors were challenged to do

November 11, 2017 — The third annual Frisco Girls on the Run 5K was held on Saturday morning. The event is the cumulation of a 10-week program open to girls in third through fifth grade created to help instill confidence in the young runners. Saturday's race was an out-and-back

November 11, 2017 — The Woodward Copper Barn Bash at Copper Mountain allowed would-be daredevils a chance to try out features all day on Saturday. The event provided free introductions, drop-in and skate sessions to celebrate the start of the 2017-18 ski season. Copper Mountain Resort officially opened for

October 28, 2017 — All across Summit County costume-clad characters have already started the Halloween celebrations. In Frisco on Friday night, revelers strolled down Main Street before heading over to the cemetery for stories of Summit County's past residents, brought to life with actor portrayals. Proceeds from the event

October 28, 2017 — Frisco Elementary School students and teachers celebrated the Summit School District's science, technology, engineering and math program by launching pumpkins with class-made catapults Friday in Frisco. Dressed in costumes, each class launched a pumpkin with their own designed catapults to see which could fly the

October 14, 2017 — Halloween arrived early for children attending the Fall Festival Saturday afternoon at the Breckenridge Riverwalk Center. Hosted by the Breckenridge Grand Vacations, with the Family and Intercultural Center being the beneficiary, close to a hundred attendants, dressed in costumes, took part in pumpkin painting, balloon